


tanked

by dedkake



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Awkward Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 10:25:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6191389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dedkake/pseuds/dedkake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: It’s field day and there’s a dunk tank. Why are you so malicious? What did I do to deserve this?</p>
            </blockquote>





	tanked

**Author's Note:**

  * For [annejumps](https://archiveofourown.org/users/annejumps/gifts).



> I have a handful of other asks for more fic from the [teacher prompt list](http://dedkake.tumblr.com/post/140521531177) and I'll be working on those this week! Thanks everyone <3 Teaching is super stressful right now, but this is a fun way to deal with it.

Logan is laughing at him when he pulls himself out of the dunk tank at the end of his shift, which is fine, because Erik knows that he’ll have his revenge when Logan sits in the tank for his shift later. What is _not_ fine is the fact that Charles dropped him in the tank six times in thirty minutes.

At first it had been amusing—Nice Mr. Xavier stepping up to drop Mean Mr. Lehnsherr into the tank. Erik had even cheered with the kids. But then Charles had stepped up a second time, and a third. By the fourth time, the kids had been letting him take cuts in line. It wasn’t fair, especially not with the deadly accuracy with which Charles could throw the ball.

“Welcome to HB Field Day, Mr. Lehnsherr, glad you could help,” Logan says, handing Erik a towel as he tops off the water in the tank.

Erik grunts and rubs the towel over his head. “And what is that supposed to mean?” It’s not like he’s _new_ anymore. He’s been here all year and there have been three new teachers hired since his first day.

Logan grins, still watching the tank. “It’s tradition. Mr. Xavier is ruthless at the tank.”

Frowning, Erik tosses the towel back against the wall next to the clean stack. “He didn’t even come by when MacTaggert was in earlier.”

“Take it up with him, if you’ve got a problem,” Logan says with a shrug, turning the water off. “And put some dry clothes on. You could’ve have at least put on a dark T-Shirt this morning.”

Erik doesn’t even spare a glance at his white shirt as he turns on his heel to find Xavier.

There are students and parents swarming the lawns around the building and Erik counts it as pure luck that he spots Charles’ stupidly beautiful hair disappearing into a side door. It has to be luck and not the fact that he spends enough time thinking about running his fingers through that hair and pressing his face into it to recognize it anywhere. No. Not that. Luck.

He catches up with Charles in his classroom. “Mr. Xavier,” he says, grabbing the door before it closes behind Charles. There are no kids allowed inside on Field Day and his voice echoes in the empty hallway.

“Mr. Lehnsherr,” Charles says, smiling pleasantly as he turns around—as if he hasn’t spent the last thirty minutes dunking Erik with almost malicious intent. “Did something happen? Why are you dripping water all over the building?”

Erik lets the door close behind him before he responds. “What the hell, Charles?”

Charles drops down into his desk chair and shuffles some papers around on his desk. “You’re going to have to elaborate. I only have a few minutes before I need to be out at the popcorn booth again. Terribly sorry.”

Grinding his teeth, Erik snarls, “What did I ever do to you?”

There’s a small smile on Charles’ face—faint, but definitely there. He’s enjoying this, the bastard. “The kids didn’t tell you?” Charles asks, sitting back in his chair to give Erik his undivided attention, something that never fails to make Erik’s stomach flutter.

“Obviously not.” Neither of them have time to have a long-winded discussion, not with the kids running about on the lawn.

Charles makes a soft sound of acknowledgement, the smirk on his face growing wider. “It’s a Mr. Xavier tradition, I guess,” he says after a beat. “I accept essays from my homeroom students at the end of the year—if they can convince me that a teacher has done something unfair this year, I avenge them at the dunk tank. It’s like extra-extra credit.”

Erik blinks, speechless for a moment because who even thinks of doing that? “Are you serious?”

“Very,” Charles says, pushing himself back to his feet. “I had four students write to me about your hundred question midterm. They were very good essays, too. You should read them.”

Charles is shorter than Erik, but it certainly doesn’t feel like he is as he stares Erik down. With Charles’ intense gaze focused on him, Erik’s brain takes an extra moment to process what’s been said.

It’s actually a genius idea, when he thinks about it. The kids adore Charles because he takes them seriously and Erik’s sure that he would have loved to be one of Charles’ students when he was younger. But it still doesn’t line up completely and he’s not ready to give in—not when he’s still dripping water on the floor.

“Four?” he asks, taking a step forward. “Then why did you drop me _six times_?”

If possible, Charles’ grin grows wider—and it’s not lost on Erik that his gaze drops down to Erik’s chest for a quick glance, either. “Well,” Charles says, his voice suddenly softer, deeper, and Erik can’t help the blush that’s rising on his neck. “The last two were for me.”

Erik swallows against his suddenly dry throat and asks again, “What did I ever do to you?”

Charles is definitely watching his lips now, not his eyes—and that’s a signal, right? Erik should lean in and kiss him and wrap his arms around his shoulders and never let go.

But just as he leans down, Charles’ phone buzzes loudly in his pocket, followed by an incessant klaxon. Charles grabs at his phone, taking a step back as he kills the alarm. “Sorry,” he says absently, swiping at his phone more than necessary. “That popcorn isn’t going to make itself.”

“What?” Erik asks, his mind reeling still. He’s been waiting all year for a moment like this and now _popcorn_ is going to defeat him. It’s not fair. 

Charles steps around him, shaking his head slightly as he goes. “Sorry, Mr. Lehnsherr.” His voice is still deep and rough and Erik wants to reach out and grab him and make him stop. But Charles is still talking, still moving out the door.

“If you want to hear more about how completely unacceptable I find your tight pants and your slicked back hair and how inexcusably sexy your accent is, you can meet me back here for lunch.”

He’s gone before Erik can wrap his mind around what he’s said, the sound of the closing door ringing in the empty classroom. Erik’s first thought is that he doesn’t wear his tight pants to school, quickly followed by the thought of what Charles might do if he saw Erik in his actual tight pants. Which are both followed by the realization that Charles thinks he’s _sexy_ and that he’s actually got a chance here—a real chance with Charles Xavier.

He’s out the door before he’s thought it through, calling down the hall, “You’re the one with the sexy accent!” It has to be the most pathetic come-back in history, but Erik still hears Charles laughing as he turns the corner towards the main entrance.

It’s victory enough for the moment and Erik grins all the way back to his own classroom.

**Author's Note:**

> [Find it on tumblr too!](http://dedkake.tumblr.com/post/140597296752)


End file.
